This article is not about any specific goal and is not about food importance. It’s about importance of having a workout plan and some basics that we all need to be remind from time to time.
Creating workout plan depends of many factors – health condition, age, goals, free time, … All of them has to be considered.
In the case of specific health issue I strongly recommend to consult your doctor.
Before choosing or creating right workout plan make realistic and measurable goals.
Beginners should ask for help from a professional. And not just for plan, but also for proper form of exercises.
If you are experienced in working out, you can create your own workout plan. Just keep in mind that from time to time, everyone needs directions from professional.
Once the goals are settled, it’s time to define how much sessions per week you are going to have.
If you are working out two or tree times per week, total body workout plans are best option.
In the case you’re working out more than that, split workout plans are better option.
Rest days are mandatory, at least one day per week. I personally recommend two or three rest days even if you’re experienced. Our body needs time to rest and recovery.
But please remember that being patient and consistent is only way to achieve your goals.
Now, let’s talk about those plans…
Total body plan
In the light of working out two or tree days per week, for best result I strongly recommend to do compound exercises.
A compound exercise is one that uses multiple muscle groups at the same time to perform a movement. Good example of compound exercises is squat.
Performing squat uses many muscles in the legs, such as the quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, glutes as well as engaging the core and lower back.
The biggest benefit of compound exercises may be efficiency. If you are time limited to exercise, you’ll work more muscles and build more strength by focusing on compound exercises.
Other benefits include burning more calories, improving strength, coordination and flexibility, elevating heart rate and gaining muscle mass.
Other compound exercises are deadlifts, bench press, push ups and pull ups, dips, lat pull downs and jump rope.
Isolation movements, on the other hand, tend to focus on a single muscle or muscle group.
An example of isolation exercises is bicep curl which is almost entirely focus on the bicep.
Even though main focus should be on compound exercises, isolation exercises are beneficial too and should not be excluded from your workout plan.
Total body session example
Depending on equipment and time my total body session would look like :
- squat
- bent over row
- SS push ups and chest fly
- shoulder press
- single leg deadlift
- plank or sit ups variation
- deadlift
- chest press
- SS reverse fly and bicep curl
- triceps dips
- split squat
- leg raise
SS is abbreviation for superset – performing 2 exercises back to back without rest in between.
Without equipment it would look a bit different, like entire workout in superset or circuit:
- SS squat and high plank
- SS push ups and sit up variation
- SS single leg bridge and back extension
- SS pike push ups and T planks
- squat
- push ups
- sit ups
- jumping lunge or reverse lunge
- side plank
In both cases for third sessions as additional exercises I would include lateral lunges, swing, lateral and front raises, abductions, balance exercises,…
With proper warm up and cool down and you are done in less than 45 minutes.
Depending on your goals cardio exercises are welcome too. They improve cardiovascular health, helps with burning fat and overall condition.
And keep in mind that these session should be on non consecutive days.
Split workout plan
All contrary to total body workouts, workout split is dividing your training sessions into different body regions.
There is no ‘one size fits all’ for the best workout split. The most common workout splits are:
- Lower and upper body workouts – alternating days of exercising only the upper body and only the lower body
- Push and pull workouts – both upper and lower body but separates the exercises into one day of pushing exercises that target chest, shoulders, triceps of the upper body and lower body exercises such as squats and lunges. The alternate day is for pulling exercises like curls, rows, pull downs or a deadlift that target the back of the body and biceps.
My personal favorite split workout regime is lower and upper body sessions.
Usual week for me has two lower and upper body session and ideally one total body sessions.
Separate region workout example
Example of lower body session from this week:
- SS Suitcase deadlift and side lunge
- SS single leg hamstring curl and overhead alternate curtsy lunge
- SS single leg deadlift and seated band abduction
- calf raises
- Dead bug and side plank
Example of upper body session from this week:
- Circuit 1 – single arm row, reverse fly and reverse plank
- Circuit 2 – trx row, alternate upright row and crab kick
- Circuit 3 – face pull, single arm triceps kickbacks and trx plank extension
- Circuit 4 – triceps dips, overhead triceps extensions and lateral plank walk
Total body session changes every week. But if I decide to do 5th session it’s usually some form of conditioning workout with or without equipment.
Example of total body session from this week – Tabata (20 sec on – 10 sec off) with kettlebell:
- alternate deadlift
- jumping lunge
- half kneeling halo and rotation
- chest pres and leg raise
- side lunge with single arm row
- plank jacks with commando
- bicycle crunch
- side plank with knee pull
Every session starts with 8-10 min warm ups and ends with 5 min cool down.
Making workout plan and sticking to it is best way achieve your goals. Random workouts from day to day, focusing on one part of the body all the time, no resting is not good for anyone.
Plus, it leads to some health condition that you want to avoid.
Find the plan that fits your lifestyle, work for your own goals and make it with fun. That’s all it matters.
Stay healthy and happy.
